Last year did not see any changes in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ work, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan told reporters on Tuesday.

“The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ activities involving the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process did not see any changes. They gave up dealing with the conflict long ago. They are now working to reduce risks,” Mr Iskandaryan said.

The reason is the conflicting parties’ antipodal attitudes to a settlement, which makes finding a mutually acceptable solution impossible.

Speaking of the war Azerbaijan unleashed last April, he noted that it was logical as Azerbaijan had escalated the situation for a long period.

“Azerbaijan has no other means of influencing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It has two ways at its disposal: the first is lobbying and propaganda, and the second is shooting, whereby it draws the attention of both Armenia and international community,” Mr Iskandaryan said.

Azerbaijan believes no one will think of the problem if they do not shoot.

Azerbaijan also needs shooting to convince its own society that they can gain victory, which they have been doing for 20 years.

Prices account for whether war will or will not break out.

“It depends on whether Azerbaijan can or cannot afford it.”

Commenting on CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bodyuzha’ statement on Azerbaijan’s armed forces attempted to infiltrate through Armenia’s north-eastern border defense posts (south-west of Chinari village, Tavush region), on December 29, 2016, Mr Iskandaryan said that Mr Bordyuzha pointed out that Azerbaijan did not honor its commitments after April, 2016.